Los Ranchos postpones discussion on moratoriums
Aug. 11—LOS RANCHOS DE ALBUQUERQUE — Three hours of public comment dominated a Los Ranchos de Albuquerque Board of Trustees meeting that was adjourned late Wednesday without action on hot-button items related to controversial high-density development projects in the village.
Just after 10 p.m., the board voted 3-2 to adjourn and continue the meeting at 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 15.
Trustees were about to discuss a pair of resolutions aimed at tamping back a recent trend in high-density projects in the Fourth Street and Osuna Road area of the village.
One resolution proposes a moratorium on applications for the village's recently minted Pilot Project and Conservation Development program. The second resolution proposes a moratorium on high-density residential development in the C-1 (retail commercial) Zone south of Osuna and Chavez Road.
However, Mayor Donald T. Lopez and trustees Sandra Pacheco and Allen Lewis voted in favor of adjourning. Trustees Gilbert Benavides and George Radnovich voted unsuccessfully to continue the meeting, which started at 5 p.m. and was attended by a crowd of constituents that spilled outside the board chambers.
Lopez suggested the adjournment, noting that the hour was late, that several hours discussion of the proposed moratoriums was anticipated and that many of the people who had jammed themselves into Village Hall earlier had left the meeting.
"Why not have the moratorium discussion when we are fresh," Lopez said. "There are people who are no longer here who I know would want to be part of the discussion."
